$2.36M more for Asian language teaching in schools

<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">A new round of Government funding has enabled a further 63 schools to add Asian language classes to their curriculum&period; This takes the number of New Zealand schools offering Mandarin&comma; Japanese or Korean to 203&period;<&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">A total of &dollar;10 million was set aside by the Government in 2014 to provide two contestable funding rounds that would increase Asian language programs in schools&period; In the latest round&comma; &dollar;2&period;36 million was provided to 63 schools that applied&period; <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Languages are an important tool for our young people to have as they venture out into the world&comma;” says education minister Hekia Parata&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"content">&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I’m pleased to say that even more students will now have the opportunity to learn an Asian language&comma; thanks to the Asian Language Learning in Schools &lpar;ALLiS&rpar; fund&period; <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Overall there are now 203 schools from Southland to Tai Tokerau receiving support for Asian language programs&period; The benefits that students get from these programs will help them thrive in a global economy&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I’m really impressed by the way schools are working together to share resources and teaching skills&period; Many are establishing links with language and cultural organisations helping them to get the most out of the program&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;